Bag closing machine



Filed Feb. 9, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet .i/vvz/v roz DA N/EL BELCHER R4 w w 4 T TOE'NEYS Jan. 10, 1933. D. BELCHER BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m T N E v W 04 N/EL BEL CHER (2w! E04 Me -*1 'A TTORNEYS P atented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT o Frc DANIEL BELCHER, or IIHNNEAPOLIS, inNNEso'rA, ASSIGNOB, 'ro Bmns BRO. BAG 00., v

F MINNEAPOLIS, MLNNEsOTA, A CORPORATION or MISSOURI BAG CLOSING MACHINE This invention relates to an improved apparatus adapted for use in the operation of closing the open mouths of containers whose walls are of a'flexible or semi-flexible material.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for use in the operation of manually closing the open mouths of containers such as paper bags, whereby the walls of a bag mouth may be quickly and uniformly folded against the bag body to close the mouth of the bag, and whereby the closed tops of the bags will be uniform in appearance.

A further object is to provide a machine adapted for use in the closing of paper bags whose top wall portions, in the closing operation, are folded inwardly one over another, and a pressure applied thereto, whereby the folded wall portions of the bags will remain in folded positions until they are subsequently secured together by a suitable adhesive or other securing means.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the class described, provided with a member upon which the bag to be closed is placed, and having forming elements adapted to engage and compress the upper portion of the bag body, whereby the walls thereof will be shaped so as to facilitate the operation of manually folding the top wall portions of the bag to close its mouth.

A further ob]ect is to provide an apparatus more particularly adapted for use to expedite the operation of closing the mouths of open tops of filled paper bags of the type commonly known to the trade as flat bags whiclnbefore being filled, are flattened and have their walls disposed in flatwise relation, and, when filled, the bodies thereof assume a substantially cylindrical shape.

A further object is to provide an apparatus adapted for use in the closing of filled paper bags whose bodies are substantially cy-- lindrical in cross-section, said apparatus including means for applying pressure to opposite walls of the bag body adjacent the mouth thereof, to shape the upper portion of the bag body to facilitate folding the walls of the bag mouth into closing positions, and

Application filed February 9, 1931. Serial No. 514,540.

whereby the contents in the bag body will not be displaced, as when applying pressure to the entire surfaces of the o posite walls of the bag body,-and whereby t e bodies of the filled bags may retain their cylindrical shapes and thereby prevent the material-from noticeably settling therein, when the bags are being handled, thereby providing a neat appearing bag.

Features of i the invention reside in the means provided for adjustably supporting the bag in the apparatus; in the means provided for shaping the upper portion of the bag body; in the means provided whereby the shaping elements and bag supporting member may be readily adjusted to adapt the machine for various sizes of bags; in the construction of the elements which engage and compress the upper portion of the bag body; and, in the simple and inexpensive construction of the machine whereby it may be manufactured at a very small cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims. Y

In theiaccompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings: a.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus showing a bag positioned therein;

Figure 2 is a view showing the upper portion of the apparatus with the shaping elements actuated to compress the upperportion of the bag body and shape it to facilitate nianu'allyifolding the top wall portions there- 0 ;v

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustratingonly a portion of the apparatus and the first step in the operation of folding the bag top;

Figure 5 illustrates the second step in the folding operation;

- Figure 6-shows atop view of a bag after itsha e of the bag body;

filled bagbefore it is inserted in the apparatus to have its open top closed;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the shape of the bag before it is filled; and

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the shaping elements and bag support adjusted to adapt the machine for handling smaller bags. The apparatus featured in this invention is particularly adapted for use to facilitate and expedite the operation of manually closing the open tops of paper bags of the general type shown in Figure 8, whose walls, when the bag is empty, are usually disposed in flatwise relation, in which condition they may be delivered to the user in bundles. When these bags are filled with a finely ground material such, for example, as flour, sugar, or other similar materials, they assume the general shape shown in Figure 7. To manually fold the wall portions of the bag top to the positions shown in Figure 6, is a rather difficult operation, unless means are provided for supporting and shaping the upper portions of the bag body so as to cause opposite walls thereof to be disposed in substantially parallel relation. If the upper portions of the bag walls are not supported during the folding operation, it is practically impossible to uniformly fold the walls of the bag top so that the bags when closed, will be uniform and will present a neat appearance. It is therefore, desirable that means be provided for shaping and supporting the upper portion of the bag body at a level substantially coincident with the level of the material contained in the bag, whereby the walls of the bag mouth may be readily and quickly folded inwardly over the bag body, and the opposite wall portions thereof folded, one over another, to close the bag mouth.

The novel apparatus featured in this inven tion is shown comprising a suitable table top 2 supported upon a frame 3 provided at its lower portion with front and rear cross members 4 and 5, adapted to reinforce and strengthen the frame 3, and also to provide supports for the operating mechanism of the machine. o

The means for supportingthe bag while the walls thereof are being folded to close the mouth thereof, consists of a member 6 terminally secured to the upper end of a threaded stud 7 adjustably mounted in a bracket 8 secured to a plate 9 which constitutes a portion of the supporting frame 3 of the apparatus. The stud 7 is provided with an elongated flat face 11 adapted to be engaged by a set screw 12mounted in the bracket. 8. Thls set screw is provided with ahead 13, shaped'like a wing nut, to facilitate the mani ulation of the set screw. A nut 14 is receive in threaded engagement with the stud 7 and is situated -1gure'7 is a perspective view showing a.

above the bracket 8 so that when the set'screw 12 is released, the member 6 may be vertically adjusted in the bracket 8 by simply rotating the nut 14 upon the stud 7. By thus securing the support in fixed relation to the bracket 8, the combined weight of the member 6 and stud 7 is carried by the bracket 8 because of the nut 14 engaging the upper surface of said bracket. The set screw 12 provides means for locking the stud 7 to the bracket so as to prevent it from relatively rotating therein. The member 6 is preferably provided at its bottom with an open-ended slot 15, which will prevent the accumulation of material thereon, and which further facilftates the removal of the closed bag from the apparatus.

The means provided for compressing and supportingthe upper portion of the bag body dunng the closing of the bag top, consists of a pair of shaping elements 16 having lateral extensions 17, provided with. means whereby they may be secured to the upper ends of a pair of arms 18-18, here shown pivotally mounted on the ends of a pair of rods 1919 supported in brackets 21 secured to the cross members 4 and 5 of the supporting frame 3. The lower ends of the arms 18-18 have brackets 22 secured thereto and provided with hubs 23 bored to receive the ends of the rods 19, as shown. Suitable collars 24 are secured to the rods 19 to prevent axial movement of the'hubs 23 upon the rods.

The shaping elements 16l6 are provided with inclined faces 202O adapted to engage the Walls of the bag. By thus shaping the faces 20 of the elements 16-16, the maximum pressure applied to the bag body will be in the region of the level of the material contained therein, whereby the contents of the bag will not be noticeably displaced. It is to be noted that no pressure is applied to the lower portion of the bag body so that the lower portion thereof will retain its normal rounded or substantially cylindrical shape. When the bag is supported in the manner above described and as shown in Figures 2 a and 9, the contents of the bag, after the latter has been closed, will not settle away from the closed top of the bag, because of the fact that the bag body will be filled to maximum capacity, which it would not be, were the walls of the bag body compressed their entire heights so as to be disposed in substantf' ally parallel relation, vertically. It is therefore important that the faces 2020 of the shaping elements 1616 be shaped substantially as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 9.

In Figure 9, the elements 16-16 and supsure thereagainst. The lower portion of the bag body retains its normal shape.

A means for operating the arms v18'18 to cause the shaping members to move "into and out of engagement with the ba body, is shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, an consists of suitable cables and 26 arranged to pass over apair of sheaves 27 and 28 sup rted in a hanger 29 secured to the face plifte 9. The'cable 26 is shown secured to the arm 18 at the left hand side of themachine, and the cable25 to the arm at the right hand side of the machine. The cables pass over the sheaves 27 and 28 in opposite directions as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The lower ends of the cables are secured to a suitable foot pedal 31, pivotally supported in brackets 32 secured to the cross rail 4 of the supporting frame 3. The arms 1818 are constantly urged apart by means of a suitable compression spring 33 interposed therebetween and mounted upon a rod 34 having-its'end portions slid- .ably engaged with a pair of eye-bolts 35 provided in the arms 18-18. Washers 36 are provided at each end of the rod 34 adapted to engage opposite sides of the eye-bolts 35, and a cotter pin 37 is provided'at each end of the rod to prevent the latter from ing detached from the eye-bolt. L

Suitable stops 38 are secured to the face plate 9 adapted to be engaged by the arms 1818 to limit their outward movement, as best shown in Figure 1. Similarstop members 39 limit the inward movement of the arms 1818 as shown in Figure 2. These latter stops 39 are adjustably secured to the lower portion of the face plate 9 whereby the inward movement of the arms 18-18 may be adjusted to adapt the machine for various sizes of bags. The stops 39 are secured in adjusted positions by means of wingnuts 41 terminally mounted on bolts 42' received in elongated openings or slots 43 provided in the stops 39.

In theoperation of this novel machine, the bag to be c osed is placed upon the supporting member 6, as shown in Figure 1, with'one end wall substantially plate 44 mounted above the face plate 9 and having its outer surface substantially flush with the surface of the face plate 9, as shown in Figure 3.- The operatorithen depresses the foot pedal 31, whereupon'the arms 18- 18 will be actuated to move the faces 2020 of the shaping elements 16-16 into engagement with the opposite walls of the bag and compress the upper portion of the bag body substantially The operator then places his thumbs against the front wall of the bag mouth and folds it inwardly over the bag body and preferably against the material contained'therein. He then spreads his'hands apart, as shown in Figure 5, with the palms substantially resting upon the upper surfaces of the extenwhich the outwardly becomengaged with a face to the shape shown in Figure 2."

sions 17-17 of the shaping elements 16-16. He may then withdraw his thumbs from the partially folded wall port-ions of the bag top and press said wall portions against the upper surfaces of the extensions 17-17 with his fingers or the palms of the hands, to thereby crease the folded bag walls; after extending partially folded wall portions A and B, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and shown in full lines in F igure 5, are folded inwardly over the bag body, one overthe other, to the positions shown in Figure 6, thus completing the folding of the bag topwalls into closing position. A suitable adhesive may then be applied between the folded wall portions of the 'bag top to secure them together, after which the bag is preferably placed in an inverted position upon the tabletop 2 until the adhesive has set sufiicient y to permit handling of the closed bags.

This machine has been found very useful in the operation of manually closing small bags of the character herein disclosed. By its use, the operation of manually folding the bag tops to close the bags may be greatly expedited, and also the walls of. the bag tops will be uniformly folded into closing position, so that the closed bag tops will be uniform and will present a very neat appearance, as will be understood by reference to Figure 6. The machine has been found very useful in small flour mills where quantities of flour is packed insm-all paper bags for dis.- tribution to the consumers. It also readily lends itself for use in other industries where small containers or paper bags of the general type herein disclosed are closed by hand.

By adjustably mounting the supporting member 6 upon the face plate 9, and also the stop members 39, the machine may be readily adapted for handling bags of different sizes. Its operation is very simple and its construction such that it may be manufactured at a very small cost,thereby providing such an apparatus which will readily lend itself for use in small flour mills and other places where small bags are manually closed.

By its use, the bags when closed, willbe substantially uniform in configuration and size, and may be filled to maximum capacity,

.whereby they may readily be stacked, one

whereby the operation of manually folding the walls of the bag mouth to close the latter is facilitated, saidfaces being inclined' outwardly from their upper inner corners to tion of the bag ing inclined faces,

cause the maximum pressure to be exerted against the bag body at an elevation substan- 7 tially coincident with the level of the material in the bag, and whereby the lower porbody may retain its rounded or cylindrical shape.

2. In an apparatus of the class described,

a member mounted for vertical adjustment and adapted to support a filled bag whose open top is to be closed pivoted elements havmeans for actuating sald elements to cause them to engage and compress the bag ,therebetween, and horizontally disposed extensions on said elements against which the walls of the open bag top may be folded to thereby facilitate the operation of manually closing the bag top 3. In an apparatus of the class escribed, a' member mountedfor vertical adjustment and adapted ,to support a filled bag, and whose body is substantially cylindrical in cross-section, shaping elements mounted to engage opposite walls of the bag body and press them inwardly to square the bag top and whereby the o eration of inwardly folding the walls of the bag mouth to close the bag is facilitated, and means for actuating said shaping elements. L

4. In 'an apparatus of the class described,

' a member mountedfor vertical adjustment substantially cylindrical and adapted to support a filled bag whose open top is to be closed, and whose body is in cross-section shaping elements having faces adapted to engage opposite walls of the bag body and press them inwardly to square the upper portion of the bag body, and whereby the operation of inwardly folding the walls of the bag mouth, one over another, to close the bag is facilitated, means constantly urging said elements away from the bag body, and means simultaneously actuating said elements to cause them to engage and compress the bag body, the bag-engaging faces of said elements being inclined outwardly from their upper inner corners to cause the maximum pressure I to be exerted against the bag body at an elevation substantially coincident with the level of the material in the bag.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, an upright face plate secured thereon, a member dlsposed adjacent to said face plate and whereon the bag to be closed may be supported with a wall thereof engaging said face plate, shapingelements adapted to engage and. compress and shape only the upper portion of the bag body adjacent to the level of the contents therein, and said shaping elements having lateral extensions thereon against which the walls of the bag mouth may be folded to thereby facilitate manually folding the walls of the ag mouth inwardly, one over another, to close the bag mouth.

6. In an apparatus for closing the open tops of filled bags whose bodies maybe substantially cylindrical in cross-section,a frame, a face plate mounted thereon, a member disposed adjacent to said face plate and whereon the bag to be closed is supported with a wall thereof engaging said face plate, a pair of oscillatable arms, shaping elements supported on said arms and adapted to en age and compress only the upper portion 0 the bag body to shape it, and whereby the side walls of the bag mouth will be disposed in substantially parallel relation while the lower portion of the bag body may retain its normal cylindrical shape, and oppositely projecting extensions on said elements against which'the' walls of the bag mouth may be folded to facilitate manually closing the bag mouth.

7: In an apparatus for closing the open tops of bags whosebodies may be substantially cylindrical in cross-section, a frame, a face plate mounted thereon, a member disposed adjacent to said face plate and whereon the bag to be closed may besupported with a wall thereof engaging said face plate, a pair of oscillatable arms, shaping elements supported on said arms and adapted to en gage and compress the upper portion of the bag body to shape it, said elements having horizontally disposed plate portions against which the walls of the open bag mouth may be folded to facilitate manually. closing the said shaping elements whereby the apparatus may be adapted for handling bags of diiferent sizes, and meansfor actuating said arms to cause said shaping elements to grip and hold the bag body while the mouth of v the bag is being manually closed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of February 1931.

DANIEL BELCHER. 

